Recoil-Absorbing Airgun Shooting Rest – 1/4"-20 Tripod & Monopod Mount

A compact, lightweight, and practical 3D-printable shooting rest designed specifically with powerful spring-piston airguns in mind.

Unlike a conventional rigid gun rest, this design incorporates a flexible, shock-absorbing inner cradle. The compliant structure allows controlled movement under recoil, helping accommodate the strong forward/rearward recoil characteristics of spring-powered air rifles while providing stable support for aiming and shooting.

The rest has been designed, built, and physically tested and can be used for bench shooting, sighting-in, target shooting, or supported standing positions.

*Key Features *

Recoil-absorbing flexible cradle

The red inner section uses a compliant structural design that provides controlled flexibility instead of holding the rifle in a completely rigid support.

Suitable for powerful springer airguns

Designed with the distinctive recoil behavior of spring-piston air rifles in mind.

Wide U-shaped support

Provides a stable resting surface while allowing the rifle to sit naturally in the cradle.

Standard 1/4"-20 mounting interface

Uses the common camera/tripod thread, making the rest compatible with a wide variety of photographic support equipment.

Bench or standing shooting

Mount it to a compact tabletop tripod for bench shooting, or use a full-size tripod or monopod for supported standing shooting.

Two-part functional construction

The rigid outer body supports and protects the flexible inner cradle while also giving the design a distinctive two-color appearance.

Replaceable cradle construction

The inner and outer components are mechanically assembled with four countersunk screws rather than relying on a permanently printed one-piece structure.

Compact and easy to transport

Much smaller and lighter than a conventional shooting bench or large rifle rest.

Recommended Filaments

For a strong and functional part, I recommend printing with:

ABS / ASA / PETG For Body PartsAnd FilaFlexible40 or TPU with 40 Shore-D HardnessPlease see the details in Settings and Manufacturing Instructions.

Required Hardware

In addition to the printed components, you will need:

4 × M2.5 countersunk-head screws, approximately 5–10 mm long1 × standard 1/4-20 camera-mount threaded heat insertCA (cyanoacrylate) or epoxy adhesive for securing the threaded insertThe 1/4-20 interface makes the completed rest compatible with many standard photographic tripods, mini tripods, monopods, and similar supports.

Typical Uses

This shooting rest is particularly useful for:

Benchrest shooting • Target shooting • Airgun sight-in and scope adjustment • Supported standing shooting • Backyard/range practice • Portable shooting setups

Simply choose the support that suits the shooting position: a small tabletop tripod for a bench setup, a conventional tripod for greater stability, or a monopod when portability and fast positioning are more important.

Designed for 3D PrintingThis is an original functional design developed around the advantages of additive manufacturing. The internal geometry of the cradle creates a lightweight compliant structure that would be considerably more complicated to manufacture using conventional methods.

The contrasting inner cradle also gives plenty of opportunity for customization—print it in your favorite filament color or combine different materials and settings to tune the appearance and stiffness of the finished rest.

Important Safety NoteThis product is a shooting support only. It is not a firearm or airgun safety device and does not secure the weapon against accidental discharge.

Always follow normal firearm/airgun handling rules, keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction, and verify that the tripod or monopod is stable before placing an airgun on the rest. Inspect the printed parts, screws, threaded insert, and mounting system regularly for cracks, loosening, or damage. Replace damaged components before further use.

Airgun, tripod/monopod, mounting head, and other accessories shown in the photos are not included.

3D printing settings

Recommended Material:

For Rigid Body: ASA, ABS or PETGFor Soft Seat: FilaFlexible40, TPU or any Flexible Filament With 40 Shore-D Hardness.

Print Setting:

Vertical Shell: 4Bottom Layers: 5Top Layers: 5Layer Thickness: 0.12-0.2 mmIn-fill Density: 30-50%In-fill Pattern: HoneycombSupport: Only on Buil Plate, Auto (Normal)